§§§§§§§§
§§§§ §§§§
§§ §§
§ §
§ §
§ THE GLASS FACTORY. §
§ §
§ §
§§ §§
§§§§ §§§§
§§§§§§§§
#@£&§†~,.. SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. AND A GIFT SHOP. ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. CONSIDERED POOR. ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... SOME ARE SHATTERED. ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. §§ ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. §§ §§ .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... §§ §§ ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... §§ ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. LIT FROM BEHIND. ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. §§ ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. §§ §§ .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... §§ §§ ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... §§ ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. FLOOR. .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... BECOME STILL. ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. §§ .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. §§ §§ ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... §§ §§ ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... §§ ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ....,~†§&£
@£&§†~,... THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ...,~†§&£@
#@£&§†~,.. GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ..,~†§&£@#
##@£&§†~,. I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE .,~†§&£@##
#@£&§†~,.. THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ..,~†§&£@#
@£&§†~,... ...,~†§&£@
£&§†~,.... I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ....,~†§&£
§§
§§ §§
§ §
§§ §§
§§